Deerhunter – “Element”

Deerhunter have released “Element,” the second single from their upcoming album Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? In a statement, lead singer-songwriter Bradford Cox described the song as “an elegy for ecology (a landscape done in toxic watercolors).” Similar to the album’s first single “Death in Midsummer,” the song is redolent of the psychedelic baroque-pop of decades past. It’s driven by driving, reverb-drenched string and keyboard counterpoint, and Cox’s vocals are off the coast of being in an English accent. What say you, Syd Barrett—spot o’ tea?

Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared?is due out on January 18 via 4AD. The record features contributions and was co-produced by singer-songwriter Cate LeBon, who worked with Cox during a residency at the Marfa Myths Festival in April. The band described the album as a ““a science fiction album about the present” in a past statement. Deerhunter’s last LP was 2015’s Fading Frontier. Listen to “Element” below.